Returning Home
by ananova
Summary: Why did he look so haunted, pain clouding his eyes? "Inuyasha?" she asked again, taking another step toward him. Had something happened while he was away? Warning: Character Death.


Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. In other words, I don't own and I make no money from this.

Author Note: This is different from my normal writing and should not be considered part of my already established post-canon work. It's based on a dream I had and I have no idea where it came from.

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Kagome looked up from where she had been gathering herbs as she sensed youki approaching. It was familiar but at the same time not. She frowned and reached for her bow. A flash of red through the trees had her relaxing her guard slightly. "Inuyasha?"

"Keh! You gonna shoot me wench?" His familiar voice sounded gruff to her ears as he dropped down from the trees.

Kagome shook her head slightly, laughing as she set aside her bow. "Now why would I do a thing like that?" she asked as she stood and moved closer to him, intending to kiss him. His expression stopped her. Why did he look so haunted, pain clouding his eyes? "Inuyasha?" she asked again, taking another step toward him. Had something happened while he was away? Her eyes widened at the thought and she took a step back. He had only left yesterday, it was too soon for him to be back. She backed up again, reaching for her bow.

Inuyasha, or the being that wore his face, moved suddenly, grabbing her by her shoulders, holding her firmly but at the same time gently, almost tenderly. "Forgive me," he said as he stared into her face.

Kagome could only stare at him in shock before the world went dark around her.

She groaned as she came awake, her neck aching from the position she had been sitting in. "Where am I?" she wondered as she looked around. Her eyes widened at the strange but familiar object sharing the enclosed space with her. "I'm...in a telephone booth?" She quickly pulled herself to her feet and exited the structure, eyes widening as she took in her location. "I'm back in the future? But how?" She recognized her location, she was at the bottom of the steps leading to the shrine and her former home. Biting her lip in worry, she began the long climb up the stairs.

Kagome gasped as she reached the top and saw all of the activity. What had happened? Her eyes took in the numerous police and emergency services personnel milling around the well-house and her uneasiness with the whole situation grew.

"Kagome!" A familiar voice called, drawing her attention to her family standing huddled by the Goshinboku in time to see her mother break away and run toward her. "Oh thank goodness! When Father found, well we feared the worse," Mama said as she embraced her daughter for the first time in years.

"Mama," Kagome cried, embracing her just as tightly. "I've missed you." The rest of the family came over to join the embrace. After a few long moments Kagome pulled back. "What's going on?" She watched as her family exchanged uneasy looks.

Movement near the well-house drew her attention before they could answer. She gasped as she watched a wrapped body be carried out, one officer following holding a familiar, rusty blade. "No," she whispered in shock. Another, much smaller bundle was also carried out.

One officer shook his head, not noticing the listening onlookers as he spoke. "He must have been trying to hide what he'd done, burying it in the well before the guilt got to him. Looks like a murder-suicide," he concluded. "But I doubt we'll ever know who they were."

Kagome wrapped her arms around herself as her family moved in around her once more. She was startled by the crinkling sound coming from her clothing and reached in to pull out a piece of paper. "No," she whispered again as she read it.

"_I'm sorry, I was unable to protect either of you._

_She was mostly human, she would be able to_

_fit in to your time like I never could._

_Please forgive me."_

Tears poured from her eyes as she glanced at the smaller bundle being carried away before she turned back into her mother's embrace and sobbed for what she had lost, one hand clutching at her swollen abdomen.

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Please let me know what you think. Like I said, I have no idea where this came from. If it wasn't clear, the Inuyasha who Kagome met was a future version who had lost his family somehow. He buried them in the well and was somehow transported back to before the child was born. He decided to send Kagome back to the future to keep them safe, then used his own death by Tessaiga to seal the well. Hope that clears up any misunderstandings. Please don't ask for more to this as I don't think I'd be able to continue it.


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